Team ICO leader Fumito Ueda fielded questions on The Last Guardian from the world's press at last week's Tokyo Game Show. Japan was, not surprisingly, included in that group. Here's what Ueda had to say to the editors of Gemaga.

The magazine's editors asked Ueda if The Last Guardian is a game where you guide the giant eagle-like creature around. The answer to that is yes, said Ueda, if you simplify things greatly. This is the simplest form of progression for the game. However, because the creature moves according to AI routines, things won't necessarily go so smoothly.

You'll apparently be able to do something about those arrows that have pierced the eagle. Ueda explained that the arrows were both a cinematic effect for the trailers, as well as a part of the game. While unable to get too specific, he said that players can pull them out.

Ueda is being a bit coy about the arrows that pierce the eagle's body.

Most of the Japanese press quizzed Ueda on the game's Japanese logo, which was newly unveiled at TGS (for a sampling of those questions, see this story). The folks at Gemaga asked about the English name, The Last Guardian. In Japan, the game is known as "Hitokui no Owashi Trico," which can be translated as "The Giant Man-Eating Eagle Trico" Gemaga pointed out that the English and Japanese names are totally different.

Regarding the "Last Guardian" English name, Ueda said, "It's not necessarily referring to something in particular." The site asked if it refers to the eagle. "It might, but it could also be the boy, or something else," Ueda responded with a laugh.

Gemaga also asked something I'm certain everyone has been wondering: what is that darn boy's name? "It's not set," responded Ueda. "This was true of ICO and Wander (Shadow of the Colossus), but we're not putting emphasis on that." Rather than areas like names and costumes, Ueda feels that movement is more important to characterization.

Looks like we're going to have to refer to the young boy as young boy.

In a closing message, Ueda addressed the expectation everyone seems to have for an unhappy ending. "With the latest footage and the E3 footage, I have a feeling that everyone expects there to be a sad development. That may very well happen, but I'd like to fight against that and deliver an unexpected conclusion. So, while it will probably take a bit more time, please wait for the result."